I am loving having my children back, but missing my naps! I know this sounds really selfish but there was something to be said about two naps a day, and relaxation. Oh, well, it will be a while before I see that again!
Anyway, the kids are settling into their routines and their expectations. I think Wayne is enjoying the scheduled day with what he has to do laid out for him in an easy check manner. I know Eve is enjoying flipping her chores too. Now if this mama can just get her act together and get her chores done!
We are excited about school starting next week. Wayne is looking at me and saying what are we doing for school today, Mom? already. And Eve is having fun playing with her school toys and getting used to them. She is not quite up to spending 10- 15 minutes with each toy, but the goal is 20 minutes by Christmas!
I am hoping to turn this into our weekly adventure blog, where I reflect on the learning that is happening in the house. This is new to me. I have always worked, and grew up in a house with 2 parents working. I am really looking forward to the success of staying at home, and being responsible for my children's education. I really hope that they are also ready for that adventure!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
First weeks of Summer
Ok, yes, I know have have neglected this little thing we call a blog. Life happened, we got busy, and well, I am making myself take the time because I am sure some of you will find this absolutely hilarious at times. Me, I think I am still sighing and asking "why me?"
It all started almost 3 weeks ago after my mom came and got the kiddos for her stint of the summer. Well, she left the obstinate one behind. I am sure not by choice, but because there is no humanly way possible for her to take him with her. Yes, I am speaking of our unborn who will be called Kohl (short for Kohlhund) or Zoey depending of course on what God decides to put between the legs! Well, the Third, because no one likes the name Bugger or Booger, and I went to check to see how well he is growing inside of me. Anyway, I got the pleasure of an extra ultra sound and having to monitor him on the unltra sound for movement because he decided not to let the Doctor listen to him. But up to the machine at all times and arms blocking his heart. Yes, the Third is safe and sound and moving around like a champ, we even saw him Wave the ultrasound machine to go away. I will have to say a chip off the old block, because I do the same to cameras, especially my sister in law who I nickname at times the Paparazzi!
Also in Day one, we tore down the wall that "divided" the kitchen from the living room, if you want to call that little growth a wall and began remodeling. Now, I love Morvin very much, but an employee of his, I could not be. You see Morvin works on this little thing he calls a schedule, and if we are close to deadlines, we should move faster and if we are ahead of the deadline, well keep up the fast work! And well, I work on this little thing called Summer Vacation, if my eyelids say it is nap time, then I need to take a nap, and if my stomach is hungry I need to eat, and If I feel like painting, I might get around to painting. Anyone else see the flaw in how we handle this project? Well, the walls are mudded and taped, and remudded and primed and painted, thanks to me! And well they were sanded, and trimmed, and the floor put down, and the "activity center" hung, thanks to him! We are almost done, once he gets all of the trim finished, I can hang the bulletin board, and well then the furniture back in and we will have a homeschool classroom/ Kids living room! Yay, us! We did it with very little fuss.
Also, while the little angels, as we like to call our kids (while they are gone or asleep), are away, we have also been fighting off this renegade night animal who thinks our chickens should be his main dish while we sleep. This has brought Morvin to the realization that his wife only likes the pretty things in life, (oooo we got eggs today, look at the art Eve did, etc!) and does not clean up messes ("Um, honey, can you remove the dead chicken from the coop before I get sick?") . Well, I am very proud of myself because I dug deep and took care of something ugly, I (once dreamed of being Dr. Meredith) became a vet today and cleaned, applied medicine and wrapped an injured chicken and its wing. However, I do not think the chicken is nearly as appreciative as it should be!
As I await my journey on a plane, while pregnant, with two kids (on the way back); I still have much to do... putting the living room back together, cleaning the kids rooms, and organizing curriculum. I also have to start actually doing some of the planning and the leg work to get us there! School starts in this house on July 5th, and well, I want to be prepared. I think I am learning that preparing for this is more mental than physical, and quite frankly I am slightly confused how to teach 2 children 10 years apart instead of 25 children who have very little background knowledge. Oh, well, I am an educator, born and well instinctively so, I think it will all work out if I just relax and let my brain tell me what to do!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
And the Thunder Rolls!
Tonight Eve heard the thunder as it started to rumble in a storm. She immediately stuck out her bottom lip and said, "Daddy, no boom! No Boom, Daddy!" Morvin not knowing what she said looked at me. When I asked her if she heard a boom, she said, "Boom scary me!" Meanwhile, her bottom lip was so far out that Morvin and I couldn't help but laugh. I explained to her the thunder was just telling the garden that water was coming.
So after her shower, we sat and looked at the clouds and talked about thunder "scary boom" and how it lets the plants know they are going to get water. I know it is not necessarily the most scientifically sound information but it is a good start to cloud recognition and rain in thunderstorms. Hopefully, it will make the "booms" less scary!
So after her shower, we sat and looked at the clouds and talked about thunder "scary boom" and how it lets the plants know they are going to get water. I know it is not necessarily the most scientifically sound information but it is a good start to cloud recognition and rain in thunderstorms. Hopefully, it will make the "booms" less scary!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Meeting Lil Bugger
Today is one of my favorite days in pregnancy. IT is the first time I get to meet the little one and see what is in store. When we found out about 4-5 weeks ago, we were excited and nervous. We have gone through random sickness, dizziness, and just general blahs. And now, we have seen the little one.
As with all my kids, I make a guess with in 2 weeks of finding out I am expecting on whether or not it is a boy or girl. With this one, I have a strong feeling it is a little boy. Another tradition is letting the technician of the ultrasound give the baby a nickname. This one's nickname is Bugger. The tech said, "The lil bugger is moving around a lot." Morvin also said, "The lil bugger looks like he is jumping." With Evelyn, it was peanut, and with Wayne it was tadpole.
Today the baby measured at 10 weeks 3 days, with a due date of November 26. He had a heart rate of 167 which we were told was normal. As we watched, he was just jumping and playing around. Lil Bugger has two arms and hands, and two feet, the toes are just growing and according to various websites, he is only 1 and half inches long.
Wayne's response was "Only one, cool!" and to the nickname, "Is that appropriate, Mom?" Eve's response was "Baby!"
As with all my kids, I make a guess with in 2 weeks of finding out I am expecting on whether or not it is a boy or girl. With this one, I have a strong feeling it is a little boy. Another tradition is letting the technician of the ultrasound give the baby a nickname. This one's nickname is Bugger. The tech said, "The lil bugger is moving around a lot." Morvin also said, "The lil bugger looks like he is jumping." With Evelyn, it was peanut, and with Wayne it was tadpole.
Today the baby measured at 10 weeks 3 days, with a due date of November 26. He had a heart rate of 167 which we were told was normal. As we watched, he was just jumping and playing around. Lil Bugger has two arms and hands, and two feet, the toes are just growing and according to various websites, he is only 1 and half inches long.
Wayne's response was "Only one, cool!" and to the nickname, "Is that appropriate, Mom?" Eve's response was "Baby!"
Saturday, April 30, 2011
THE FINAL DAY OF AWARENESS
As I reflect on this last month, I think the time I have spent to share with the world our Autism story, I have also found that I am still very much a learner in this process especially as we begin to embark on puberty. This is an adventure I do not look forward to but know is coming quickly!
For the end of Autism Awareness 2011, I leave you with my descriptions of Autism and its effect on our lives through Wayne:
- Autism is not a bad thing in our life it just explains the "Wayneisms" in our life.
- Wayne is a typical child to the extreme, if a child would ask 3 times for something, Wayne will ask a zillion times.
- Wayne, you are not a flying bird, so if you need to move your hands remember you are like a penguin that cannot fly, so you flap by your legs.
- Stemming is as normal as the stem you chose.
- Weird is the new COOL!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Autism and New Baby
Being a big brother is tough. Having to set examples, having to make the right choices, and having to watch what a younger sibling is doing just to name a few. However, I have never met a child who has waited so long for a baby sister or brother as Wayne has, and who truly embraces the responsibility.
With most older siblings, you have had to worry about jealousy and regression/ rebellion. With Wayne and knowing what I have learned about autistic siblings, I had to worry about other reactions. Wayne has always been a gentle spirit, would it really change with a baby in the house? Actually it did! Wayne wanted to wrestle and rough house a lot. When the baby came, he started to be more gentle with it. He also blossomed. The baby would be doing something soon that he was scared to do. With a little sister, Wayne has jumped off heights, worried about hurting her, and made a true friend.
Now, we are expecting baby #3, and with this expectation, Wayne is being pushed into yet another dimension. At 11, and developmentally ready, he is learning self motivation (yes, it can be taught, I need a teacher) and how to be a team player in the house. These new skills will be put to the test when this next little one comes into our life. However, with him still being a novice, I pray for patience, and guiding words to help help him solve his problems both which I lack some times.
There are just 11 more days of Autism Awareness Month, and through this journey of focusing on Wayne in blogs, I have learned, that I as a parent still have a lot more to learn about my child and his "Waynisms." Autism is not a curse or a disease or a disability in our house. It is the explanation for all the "Waynisms" that occur.
With most older siblings, you have had to worry about jealousy and regression/ rebellion. With Wayne and knowing what I have learned about autistic siblings, I had to worry about other reactions. Wayne has always been a gentle spirit, would it really change with a baby in the house? Actually it did! Wayne wanted to wrestle and rough house a lot. When the baby came, he started to be more gentle with it. He also blossomed. The baby would be doing something soon that he was scared to do. With a little sister, Wayne has jumped off heights, worried about hurting her, and made a true friend.
Now, we are expecting baby #3, and with this expectation, Wayne is being pushed into yet another dimension. At 11, and developmentally ready, he is learning self motivation (yes, it can be taught, I need a teacher) and how to be a team player in the house. These new skills will be put to the test when this next little one comes into our life. However, with him still being a novice, I pray for patience, and guiding words to help help him solve his problems both which I lack some times.
There are just 11 more days of Autism Awareness Month, and through this journey of focusing on Wayne in blogs, I have learned, that I as a parent still have a lot more to learn about my child and his "Waynisms." Autism is not a curse or a disease or a disability in our house. It is the explanation for all the "Waynisms" that occur.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
A Simple Autism Story....
Simple may be off slightly. One thing is for sure. Nothing is simple. As stated before, many of the things I have learned to help Wayne with being socially acceptable deals with teaching a new behavior. As I think of Autism Awareness, and a story that is truly Autistic, my brain scrambles. But one day I do remember dealt with about the biggest extremes, along with hurdles.
A few Summers ago, Wayne and I went to Carowinds with some friends for a day of fun. Now, please understand, that I LOVE roller coasters, and well, Wayne, is not sure of trying anything that might be a suggestion of something scary. SO we spent the day walking around trying to find rides that we would both enjoy. Wayne and I enjoyed some of the baby rides, but then I decided to push him a little.
We went into the water park and I pushed him to try the kiddie water slide. He loved it! Then he looked at me with excitement and pointed to the bigger water slides. He wanted to ride it badly. So we found one that would let two people ride at once. After standing in line with him for 5 minutes, we finally get to the top, and he decides he does not want to go down. He begins screaming and trying to look for a place to run. I grabbed him, and made eye contact with him, and told him, there is only one way down. Then I gave him a bear hug lifted him up set him in my lap and the worker pushed us off. He screamed half way down the slide and then laughed the rest of the way!
Leaving the water park, I decided to keep the momentum going. We stood in line for ride after ride, some he had a meltdown in the seat so we got off and let the next people on. Others he was ok with sitting in the seat, and we road. We continued this, until he reached a point of somewhat comfort. Then it happened. He saw the "mascots" Nickelodeon Characters with big heads! HE saw them took one looked, screamed and starting running. Somehow, I ended up with Inspector Gadget type arms that reached out and grabbed him almost tripping a lady and toddler, apologized, as I dashed around the corner and held him tight to me against me to where he couldn't see. Once, he recovered, he wanted to go "shake their hand." Yeah, Right.
We finished the day in the kids area of the park and our last ride was the kid roller coaster. Wayne's first every real roller coaster. We rode it together after much debate. He was comfortable in the seat and half laughed and half cried throughout the whole ride. When we got off, Wayne looked at me very seriously and said, "Mom, we have to call an ambulance."
I asked, "Why, Wayne? What is wrong?"
He said, "That ride made my stomach turn upside down and the hospital needs to fix it."
I replied calmly, "It is ok Wayne, that is just butterflies in your stomach."
This made him look at me very seriously, and state bluntly, "I did NOT swallow a butterfly, Mom!"
As I think of it there are many more autism stories like this one. But, this is what autism looks like in our family. A little bit of forced sensory awareness, pushing to try new things, and most of all, learning about figurative language in the most serious ways!
A few Summers ago, Wayne and I went to Carowinds with some friends for a day of fun. Now, please understand, that I LOVE roller coasters, and well, Wayne, is not sure of trying anything that might be a suggestion of something scary. SO we spent the day walking around trying to find rides that we would both enjoy. Wayne and I enjoyed some of the baby rides, but then I decided to push him a little.
We went into the water park and I pushed him to try the kiddie water slide. He loved it! Then he looked at me with excitement and pointed to the bigger water slides. He wanted to ride it badly. So we found one that would let two people ride at once. After standing in line with him for 5 minutes, we finally get to the top, and he decides he does not want to go down. He begins screaming and trying to look for a place to run. I grabbed him, and made eye contact with him, and told him, there is only one way down. Then I gave him a bear hug lifted him up set him in my lap and the worker pushed us off. He screamed half way down the slide and then laughed the rest of the way!
Leaving the water park, I decided to keep the momentum going. We stood in line for ride after ride, some he had a meltdown in the seat so we got off and let the next people on. Others he was ok with sitting in the seat, and we road. We continued this, until he reached a point of somewhat comfort. Then it happened. He saw the "mascots" Nickelodeon Characters with big heads! HE saw them took one looked, screamed and starting running. Somehow, I ended up with Inspector Gadget type arms that reached out and grabbed him almost tripping a lady and toddler, apologized, as I dashed around the corner and held him tight to me against me to where he couldn't see. Once, he recovered, he wanted to go "shake their hand." Yeah, Right.
We finished the day in the kids area of the park and our last ride was the kid roller coaster. Wayne's first every real roller coaster. We rode it together after much debate. He was comfortable in the seat and half laughed and half cried throughout the whole ride. When we got off, Wayne looked at me very seriously and said, "Mom, we have to call an ambulance."
I asked, "Why, Wayne? What is wrong?"
He said, "That ride made my stomach turn upside down and the hospital needs to fix it."
I replied calmly, "It is ok Wayne, that is just butterflies in your stomach."
This made him look at me very seriously, and state bluntly, "I did NOT swallow a butterfly, Mom!"
As I think of it there are many more autism stories like this one. But, this is what autism looks like in our family. A little bit of forced sensory awareness, pushing to try new things, and most of all, learning about figurative language in the most serious ways!
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